And what would happen if she had answered this call?
by Reikajen
Summary: This story was suppose to be a one-shot on what happen if Pepper answered to Tony in the plane. But finally it became more than that. It's my point of view of the end of The avengers movie. Principal character are Pepper and Tony but you will see all the avengers in this story, including SHIELD agent. The story is now complete :)
1. Chapter 1: The phone call

**And what would happen if she had answered this call?**

**Hello everyone, It is my first fanfic here and my first one in English… I hope you will like it. If you see mistakes or problem don't hesitate to tell it to me. I really want to improve myself. Anyway, try to enjoy it J**

Pepper Potts was in the Stark Industries private jet, on the way back to New York. Her meeting in Washington DC was a real success. Investors were really amazed by the new green project of Stark Industries. At least 3 towers like the Stark Tower in Manhattan were already ordered. The restructuring of Stark industries from "merchant of death" to "New energy stuff" was ensured now.

She was playing with her phone on her hand split between her wish to send a message to Tony and her reason which told her to wait and let him work in peace. Indeed, yesterday night when she left him with his "homework", she could feel that the situation was a kind of urgent thing. Later, her discussion with Phil in the car on the way to Larguardia Airport confirmed her suspicion.

Since this conversation, she was not able to stop being worried about Tony. And when you think about it, actually, it's more than 10 years now that she constantly feels worried about Mr Stark. But now, there was something different, she didn't know really how to describe it yet but it was different. We could say without make mistakes than their relation has evolved in some way. Now, she was not his assistant anymore, she was the co-CEO of Stark Industries and Tony was not anymore only her boss but then also her… ?... Her what? Truly, she didn't know really how to define him. Still, her concern was completely different since the night on the roof after the Stark Expo fireworks.

Suddenly, sounds came from the TV making her stop thinking about Tony and Her: "Breaking News! Few minutes ago, a weird ray of blue light appeared on the new tower of the billionaire Tony Stark allowing thousand and thousand strange creatures escape from the portal created on the sky…"

She didn't know what part scared her the most, a sort of blue laser hitting the Stark tower or the thousand creatures invading New York? She jumped on her feet to face to the TV…

"The streets of New York City have become a battle ground … The Army is here trying to contain the violence…"

Manhattan streets looked like a war field… Images of the Stark Tower, the portal, the creatures exploding things flashed past on the screen letting Pepper completely aghast. Her mind started to work again when she saw a red/gold outline between 2 shots! Tony! She was pretty sure that it was Iron Man on this damned screen… It was Tony! What the hell was he doing here?! He was a kind of super-heroes so it was consistent for him to be there. Then, at the same time, he was also her boss, her love, her Tony! She finally found what Tony became and what he almost always was for her, the only man that she ever loved… Her heart started to beat so fast that she supposed everyone in the plane can hear it.

"… but clearly, it is outmatched."

Suddenly, her phone started to vibrate in her hand. She looked at it and saw Tony's smiling face on it. She answered the call immediately with a shaking and worried voice: "Tony?!"

"Hey Peps! How are you?" He tried to be as natural as he could be in the situation but Pepper, who knows him very well could feel that's there was something wrong.

"Tony! What's going on? I'm in front of the TV and I saw the tower and those creatures…" she started to say frenetically

He stopped her, he had to stop her, his time was limited: "Look Pepper, I don't have too much time, listen to me please! I want to know if everything is fine for you, if you are safe." Yeah, he had to know, at least, he wanted to quit the earth knowing that she was in a safe place…

"Yes, I'm in the jet on the way back to NYC… But what about you, what is that weird noise I can hear… You are supposed to be in a middle of a battle, why are you calling me? Tony please, tell me what's wrong!' She just shouted the last word… Tears started to fill her eyes. She didn't know yet what's going on but she could feel that something serious was taking place…

Tony just figured out that He didn't know really what to tell her. He didn't want to hurt her but he also knew that he didn't want to lie to her. She had made him promise this, she had made him promise to don't lie to her anymore… And she deserved it… She deserved it so much! He liked better to reassure her but tell her that he was on course fly into space with a nuke on his back will not comfort her at all. What can he say… Maybe he could just say why he was calling her "I just don't want to do the same mistake again…"

His voice sounds too serious for Pepper… Really too much serious and full of sadness. "What do you mean?" She whispered, tears rolling down her cheek…

He started his climb to the portal… "I mean, you remember this palladium-kind-of-dying-thing? I don't want to lie or hide to you anything again…" His voice knotted with emotion and fading out…

"Tony… Please tell me that everything will be alright… That I'll see you when I'll land in NYC… Tony, please…" her words sounded like a supplication…

Listening to her like that killed him "I wish I could…"

He just passed through the portal and realized that here he was! It was the end…

"Pepper, listen, I wanted to tell you something for so long, I…" He was stopped by the faded voice of Jarvis "Call fa…" Everything on his screen disappeared and it was just him, this stupid nuke and the big alien spaceship. He sent the missile in direction of the ship. Oxygen started to be low on his suit and breath was more and more difficult…

At the same moment, on the plane, Pepper yelled on her phone "Tonyyyyyy! Toooooonyyyyyyy! Tonyyyyyyy!" And the only answer that she got was the cold "bip bip bip" from the phone… She tumbled on her knees crying as she never cried before…

Tony watched as the alien ship exploded at the missile contact… The oxygen was empty, he couldn't breath anymore… So with his dying breath, just before clothing his eyes two word came out: "…love you…"


	2. Chapter 2: Remember when

**Hello everyone :) A lot of people asked me for a next chapter for this fic. It was supposed to be a one-shot but finally I decided to write a second chapter. I hope you will like it. I found the inspiration listening the song "remember when" from Avril Lavigne. Sentences in italic are sentences of the songs.**

**I hope you will like it. It depends of the review but if they are good and if people want I'll maybe write a third one.**

**If you find any mistakes in English (grammar or other) please let me know. I really want to improve.**

**Thank you :)**

**I don't own any of the marvel characters… Enjoy…**

Chapter 2: Remember when,

_Remember when I cried to you a thousand times  
I told you everything  
You know my feelings  
It never crossed my mind  
That there would be a time  
For us to say goodbye  
What a big surprise_

Pepper was in the plane, on her knees, crying. She tried to put herself together, her mind was like freeze. Freeze on the last sentences of Tony. She wanted to understand what happen, but her mind refused to work… Her mind refused to figure out what exactly happen to Tony. She was only crying… It was not the first time that she cried to him. She cried to him like a thousand times during the past ten years. At the beginning, they were only boss/employee then few months ago, she told him everything, he knew her feelings and since her tears were different. They were happy and she never realized that maybe on day they would have to say goodbye. Even if Tony was always in kind of danger with his Iron man stuff, it never crossed her mind that it could happen. What a big surprise… This woke up from her daze.

_But I'm not lost  
I'm not gone  
I haven't forgot_

She stood up as her assistant came to her. They were asking her questions but she was not listening. She was only focused on retake control of herself, control of her life. She was not this kind of person who let her emotion master herself. She was Virginia Potts, Co-CEO of Stark Industries, she had to be strong, whatever happened few minutes ago. She couldn't only stay on the floor crying like that. But, even if she was standing now, she hadn't forgotten…

_These feelings I can't shake no more  
These feelings are running out the door  
I can feel it falling down  
And I'm not coming back around  
These feelings I can't take no more  
This emptiness in the bottom drawer  
It's getting harder to pretend  
And I'm not coming back around again_

No, she hadn't forgotten that she loved him. Too much. She came back to her sit and sat down. She rested her head on the window, burying her gaze on the cloud passing as the plane was flying back to NYC. Her heart was in her throat, she knew the feelings that she had for Tony and she just realized that she would be hard for her to shake them. She could feel it falling down. She felt so empty. One tear rolled on her cheek. She shocked her head, no more tears! She didn't want to come back to the cry thing again. She looked at her mobile, she kept it tighten up in her hand wishing that it would ring again. That he would call her back. That it was just a network problem. Time passing, it was getting harder to pretend… Pretend that she was ok or that everything would be ok.

_Remember when._

Her thought lost their way to this night on the roof. She remembered when she was on the point to quit everything, to quit him. She was hyper-sensitive at this time, she felt so lonely and she couldn't shake no more her feelings for him. Then, finally, Tony kissed her and she stopped to be alone, it started to be them. And he told her, he promised her…

_I remember when it was together till the end  
Now I'm alone again  
Where do I begin?  
I cried a little bit  
You died a little bit  
Please say there's no regrets  
And say you won't forget  
But I'm not lost  
I'm not gone  
I haven't forgot_

He promised her that it would be together till the end. Was it the end? Already? No it couldn't be, it must not be. But, now, she was alone… Again… She couldn't bear it. She cried again a little bit, but it was for a good reason, because he died a little bit. Then, she realized that he was trying to tell her something but he didn't have the time? What was it? She was maybe too sad to have a clear thought but she couldn't come across what he tried to say to her. She begged there was no regret, and that he won't forget. She had to be strong. She had to face up this ordeal. She was Virginia Potts, she wasn't lost, and she couldn't be lost.

_Remember when._

Even if she remembered that she loved him and that he probably loved her even if he never told to her. Wait! Was it possible that it was what he would say to her? That he loved her? This thought started to kill her.

_That was then  
Now it's the end  
I'm not coming back  
I can't pretend  
Remember When._

Tears came back at full speed. She couldn't pretend anymore, she couldn't pretend to be strong, it was too hard. Not after all they went through. She was Virginia Potts, it was true, but she was also "Pepper" Potts, his "Pepper". They were happy and they would probably be happy for long but that was then. Now it was the end. And as tough and strong, Virginia was, Pepper couldn't pretend and cried until the plane landed, sat in her sit, her head on the window… Remember When…


	3. Chapter 3: Shawarma or not?

**Hello everyone :) So here we are for a next chapter of this fic J**

**I hope you will like it. Please let me know what you think by review, I really need your opinion to know if I have to continue this fic or not…**

**If you find any mistakes in English (grammar or other) please let me know. I really want to improve.**

**Thank you :)**

**I don't own any of the marvel characters… Enjoy…**

_Chapter 3: Shawarma or not?_

Thor and Captain America started to be surrounded by Chitauri. They were super-heroes, they were not supposed to lose hope but it was really a good timing to be desperate. Hawkeye was out of arrows, captain America seriously injured and Chitauri were still coming. Natasha found the way to close the damned portal but Stark got the "good-Stark idea" to pass thought the portal few second ago with a nuke on this back.

No later than one second after Steve started to discourage, all the aliens died instantaneity! It was a big release and a surprise for all of them. After a small feeling of happiness, they all focused on the open portal above the Stark Tower…

"Come one, Stark." whispered Natasha looking desperately at the portal. She knew him… Even more that the other members of the team. It was a jerk most often the time but she knew also that behind this, he was a good man, with a heart. And her better proof was that a smart woman as was Pepper Potts was in love with him. It meant that in somehow Stark could be good. And finally, after working with him in Stark industries and for this last 24 hours, she kind of started to appreciate him, which stands for something coming from an assassin.

Thor was a god and knew that fly into space with a nuke didn't give a lot of hope to come back, especially when you are a human. He knew that even if it was hard they would have to close this portal. They couldn't take the risk to see new aliens come to earth. And god only knew how much he wanted to protect earth! Earth was the planet of his evolution. Evolution as a king, and more important as a man. No definitely, even if Stark did a good action and even if he deserved to be honored for that, they couldn't wait more. So he looked at the only man who could take the decision, their "leader".

Steve could read in Thor's eyes what he wanted him to do. And moreover he knew that Thor was right. Steve was a soldier, he knew what it was to lose a man on a battleground. Even if Stark acted as a hero, he had to protect the rest of "his team" and above all the civilians.

"Close it" Steve told sadly to Natasha. Natasha froze for a second. She didn't want to seal the destiny of Stark. Anyway! She was an assassin, she couldn't follow her feelings. So she pulled her together and closed the portal.

The portal was closing slowly… Steve gasped, it was always hard to loose someone, especially when you just passed intensive 24 hours like that. 24 hours where you both was on a way to die more than one time. Each avenger felt the sadness filled them on their own way. They won, but in the same time they lose. They failed as a team… Suddenly, Iron man appeared at the last second. Natasha was released and she even gave a faint smile which was rare to see on Black Widow's face.

"Son of a gun" Captain America couldn't believe it. He made it! Stark made it.

The relief disappeared at full speed on Thor's face. "He's not slowing down" he said starting to whirl Mjölnir in the air. At the same time, Hulk grabbed Iron man. Hulk landed on the ground and threw Stark on asphalt. Thor and Steve ran to him.

"Is he breathing?" captain America worried asked. Thor snatched Iron mask from Tony. His eyes were closed, his arc reactor was so grey with any dot of shining blue. Steve came closer to him… He was not breathing. He touched the arc reactor. It was still grey, any humming noise came from it. It was silence, so silence, too silence and everyone knew that when Stark was here, it was not supposed to be silence. Sadness was filling them again. Hulk didn't know what sadness was, he just knew anger, and at this moment he felt anger filling his heart! Hulk was not supposed to have any feelings, but Banner who was deep inside obviously had. That's why Hulk jumped to catch the falling Iron Man and that's why Hulk felt so angry about the Tony's death!

"gggrhhh" grumbled Hulk in fury. At the same time Tony came to life

"Ahhhhhhhh" yelled Stark. The cry of Tony was punctuated by a Hulk's growl.

"What the hell?" Tony gasped completely lost. Steve and Thor cracked a smile, they were so relieved to see that he was not dead!

"What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me?" asked Tony. This time Steve gave a bright smile. Saw that he was making stupid Stark's jokes as usual proved him that he would probably completely recover. Steve thought about all they passed through and he panted, remembering all the feeling that he just got in few minutes only. From the panic of losing the battle, to the relief when Natasha found the solution for closing the portal, to the fear of the nuke coming on Manahan, to the bright idea of Stark to head it to the portal, to Stark disappearing into the portal, to the joy for the death of all the aliens, to the sad loss of Tony in the space, to happiness to see him reappear, to sadness of Tony death… And finally, he was not dead! It was really too much emotion for Steve, too much emotion for such short period of time.

"We won" Steve finally said, still panting… Yeah, few minutes ago he thought that they lost as a team but finally everyone was here and the world was safe, so yes they won!

"All right, yay!" Tony closed his eyes and rested his head on the floor. He was released, really released. During a moment, he truly thought that he would die. But finally he was there, with the other super-heroes, his team-mate and probably more than that after all they just went through.

"Hurray. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day." He tried to joke around as usual but he just rested again his head on the floor closing his eyes again. Stark would never show but he was really frazzled. Then as we just said, he would never show it, especially to them.

"Have you ever tried shawarma?" He continued, seems like he was fit as fiddle. Steve laughed, the playacting of Tony worked on Steve apparently. "There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is but I want to try it."

"We're not finished yet." Thor interrupted Stark in his chit-chat. They all turn their gaze on the Stark Tower. Yes, the chitauri were all dead but Loki was still there somewhere and they have to stop him.

"And then shawarma after." Stark finally concluded. Steve held one's hand out to Stark to help him to stand.

"Barton, Romanoff! Are you guys hear me?" asked Captain

"Yes" answered the both agent in concert.

"Ok, we have to capture Loki for good! Let's meat in the Stark Tower penthouse"

"Ok" they both agreed.

They finally found Loki, at the same place that Hulk let him minutes ago.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now." Loki proposed seeing that he was surrounded by all the avengers. They were all gazing at him with sober-minded except Tony who cracked a smile at the Loki's reply. He just remembered their discussion before the battle started and giving a look to all his team-mate he was just happy and eased that he was right when he told to Loki that he hadn't any chance to win.

Tony saw Thor came closer to Loki and grabbed him. "You made a big mistake, my brother…" Thor's voice started to faint for Tony when his eyes landed on pieces of glass on the floor which looked like a smashed bottle of champagne. The thought of Pepper jumped in his mind. Events stringed them together so fast since he fall from the portal and woke up that he completely forgot about their last conversation. They were cut off when he passed the portal and he was not sure if she knew what happen next. He had to call her. He took a look to his Team-mate and he heard Natasha asked for some SHIELD backup.

"I'm going to remove the suit guys" he yelled at them leaving the room without waiting any answer from them. He reached one of the lab levels.

"Jarvis?" He asked, starting to remove the dead suit from him fragment by fragment.

"Yes, Sir" the AI politely answered.

"Can you call Miss Potts for me and put her on the screen please?" He asked removing one of his legs from the suit in pain. His body was painful from everywhere.

"I'm afraid that I cannot, Sir."

Tony's body tightened hearing Jarvis words "Why?" he started to yell gazing the ceiling "What happen? Is she safe?"

"I don't know Sir. Since the portal had been closed by Agent Romanoff, I lost all the exterior communication."

"How come? Do you know why Jarv?" Tony asked watching his bloody face in the mirror.

"I think the energy release by the Tesseract, when Loki's Scepter touched it, burnt out the entire network in Manhattan."

"This is really annoying… Is there any possibility for you to pass by the mansion in Malibu to reach her?" He wondered passing his hand in his hair.

"I'm afraid that I cannot, Sir."

"I'm disappointed Jarv, I was thinking that you can be more useful" said Tony teasing his AI.

"I'm sorry Sir."

"Can you tell me where was Pepper at the last connection that you got with her, before everything blew up?" He asked checking his entire body for injuries. He felt that he had at least 4 ribs bruised, certainly due to the gentle rescue from Hulk.

"For sure. On my last recording, Miss Potts was in the Stark Industries private jet flying to LaGuardia Airport. She is supposed to land in about 10 minutes but I'm not sure about the real timing because of the last events that happen in New York."

"How many time from here to Laguardia, Jarvis?" He asked walking to the elevator.

"About 30 minutes by car, Sir. But again, with the last events…"

"Jarvis, with the suit…" He interrupted his AI.

"Sir, I'm afraid that no one of your suit is ready for a fly."

"What do you mean?"

"The mark VII that you just remove is completely out and the mark VI is not ready for any fly."

"Shit! Find a solution Jarvis!" he maintained walking inside the elevator.

When he reached the floor where he let all the team, he found a helicopter from the SHIELD in front of his broken windows. SHIELD agents were everywhere in his living room. _It's much worse than when I found my elevator_… he pressed his lips together to this thought and rectified in his head… _our elevator teeming with sweaty workmen_. His gaze finally fell on Banner who was almost naked with just the rest of pants on his bottom. Tony smiled.

"Hey Buddy, not too cold?" He teased Bruce. Bruce looked at him with desperate eyes. "Ok come, it's funny, no? When he saw the silence from Bruce, he reached his bedroom and found some clothes that he threw to Banner when he came back in the living room...

"Thanks" Banner finally said to Tony grabbing the cloths on the floor.

After few minutes only, SHIELD agents started to leave the tower taking Loki with them. All the avengers met in the middle of the room. They were all so tired. They started to gaze at each other in silence. After long second of silence, Steve finally broke the silence…

"What about go to take this shawarma finally?"

All gazed at Stark in the same time waiting for his approval or something… He was supposed to be the comic of the team and this shawarma idea came from him at the beginning. But nothing came out from Tony's mouth. He was just like gaped. His mind was caught between say yes and go to eat with his new "kind-of-friend-team-mate" or say no, leave them and go to find Pepper…


	4. Chapter 4: Selfish?

**Hello everyone :) Ready for a new chapter? **

**I hope you will like it. Please let me know what you think by review, There is lot of people who read the fic but not a lot who post review so I have no idea if you like it or not. I hope yes.**

**If you find any mistakes in English (grammar or other) please let me know. I really want to improve.**

**Thank you :)**

**I don't own any of the marvel characters… Enjoy…**

_Chapter 4: Selfish?_

Tony was silence since more than 30 seconds, eyes completely empty. Avengers started to be worried: Silence was not one of the feature of Stark.

"Stark are you ok?" asked Natasha

Tony shook his head trying to pull himself together. He couldn't show to them that he was worried about Pepper. No! Tony Stark wasn't known to be a romantic guy and he didn't want that it changed.

"I'm ok guys, who said Sharwarma? Come on let's go"

Everyone observed him as he was reaching the elevator: "Come on, Legolas, Point break, I'm not going to take you by the hand" They all started to laugh joining him inside the elevator.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Pepper was still in the plane, eyes on the cloud when the Pilot started to speak in the intercom. "We are going to be diverting to Linden airport because of all the trouble in NYC."

She couldn't help herself and thought that it was a really bad sign. Since the call of Tony even the TV news lost the transmission with NYC. They didn't get any new images or new information from the TV. Pepper was completely in the dark. And now, they would be diverted to Linden. My god, all these things were too much for her. She had to land to LaGuardia, she had to go to Stark Tower and she had to know what happen to Tony. She jumped from her seat and rushed in the cockpit.

"We have to land at LaGuardia!" She almost yelled to the pilots.

"Miss Potts, I'm sorry but we can't, we have order." Answered one of the co-pilots.

"I don't care about your orders, I give you the order to land there." It was one of the first times that they could see the calm Pepper Potts blew her top. It must be really important.

"But we can't Miss, even if we want, we have to follow the control tower orders." She suddenly felt so stupid. Yes, how come she could ever think that she would be able to change the flight plan? She rapidly turned her back to the pilots ashamed and got back to her sit. She was completely lost. She used to be a reflected person, she never used to react with her feelings, she couldn't even recognize herself. She was so worried for Tony that she totally lost her self-control. But who could really blame her? Tony was the only man she ever loved, and even if their relationship started few months ago she knew him for more than 10 years. She passed more time with him than any other people in her life. She couldn't bare the idea to lose him. She closed her eyes and her mind worked alone, driving her crazy as images of her alone walking through the Malibu mansion or the empty Tony's workshop… She couldn't help herself and kept thinking of this until the plane landed.

"Miss Potts, we landed" said her assistant touching gently her shoulder. Pepper turned her head to her. Her blue ocean eyes were completely red and puffy. "We have to get out of the plane." She added trying to make Pepper moved or reacted.

"Ok, thank you Anita" she answered nicely, as she tried got hold on herself. "Let me few minutes, you can go, I'm joining you after."

"Are you sure? I'm not…"

Pepper cut her short "It's ok, don't worry. Let me just some time and I'm coming." She tried to comfort her. Anita shook her head and left the plane.

Pepper staid sit few minutes and decided to stand up. She breathed heavily thinking about facing the truth. As she walked on the aisle, she noticed that it was raining outside. She was on the threshold of the plane when she noted that she knew this airport. It was really looking like LaGuardia Airport. As she was scanning the place, her gaze landed on an outline…

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Tony was at the Sharwama place chewing his sandwich. He couldn't help himself and was still focus on the conversation that he got with Pepper on the phone. I was not a kind of guy who felt guilty but when Pepper was in the equation it used to be completely different. For her, he wanted to be better, he wanted to be all that she wanted or needed. He was actually worried about her. He couldn't know if she knew that he was finally alive and that everything went fine at the end. He gave a look to all his team-mate, all his tired and silence team-mate. Without any warning, he jumped on his feet.

"I'm sorry guys, I have to go!" all looked at him with questioning gaze "I have something more important and more meaningful to do."

He started to go out from the place, but suddenly he turned to Natasha as he realized something "It just came through my mind: How did you get backup come to the tower? Do you have contact with the SHIELD?"

"Yes I have" answered Natasha surprised by Tony's question.

"Nice give me your earpiece" he ran to her.

"But why…" She stated to protest but Tony was already trying to remove her earpiece from her ear.

"I told you spy girl, it's important, I don't have time to loose in chattering" He told her putting the device on his ear. "Hey, allo, is there someone here?" he said knocking on the device "Is someone hear me?"

The voice of Nick Fury came through the earpiece.

"Hey eye-patch! Can you tell me where my private jet is now?" Tony asked him as he was walking from side to side of the restaurant.

"Stark what the hell is your problem? We have a lot of thing to manage, there is no time for joking now"

"I'm not joking. For the first time maybe, but I'm not joking. I really need to know where the Stark industry private jet is at the moment."

There is long second of silence… At least really long for Tony. "Is she inside?" he finally asked as he was tipping on the screen of a computer.

"Yes captain obvious, she is" said Tony playing the smart guy

"Her plane had just been diverting to the Laiden airport" he answered not paying attention to the last remark of Stark.

"Make it land to LaGuardia!" He ordered to Fury

"Stark, it is not so easy, I can't…"

Tony cut him short "Don't tell me that you can't! I just flew into an alien portal with a nuke on my back to please you and by the way save the earth… So please don't tell me that you can't."

Nick Fury took a moment before answering "Ok, I'll see what I can do"

"Terrific, thanks one-eyed" He was on the point to give back the earpiece to Natasha but added "Oh yes and I need to go to LarGuardia as fast as I can"

"Of course" answered Fury ironically. Then, He added with a more serious tone "I'll send you what you need". Fury didn't like too much the narcissistic behavior of Stark but for the first time it was not really about him but about Miss Potts. And for once that Stark acted for someone else that only him and after what he just did with the chitauri invasion, he could at least do this favor to him.

Tony gave back her earpiece to Natasha "Who could image that you could be more useful than Jarvis" he teased her. Then he just left the restaurant without any words.

All avengers staid gasped. They all gazed at Natasha hoping that she could give them clues on what just happened in front of them. Natasha looked at them and just shrugged her shoulders.


	5. Chapter 5: I love you

**Chapter 5: I love you**

**Hello everyone :) New chapter ^^ probably the last one for this Fic. Maybe I'll write an epilogue but it'll depend of the reviews ;) And if you want it also :=)**

**I don't own any of the marvel characters… Enjoy…**

She was transfixed on the first steps. She blinked many times trying to make her vision clear. She was not sure if she was dreaming this outline or if it was real. She stared the man as she was getting down the stairs. She didn't want to close her eyes or even look at the steps scaring that he disappeared. Her limbs were shaking. Actually, all her body was shaking. She couldn't think, she was just walking in slow motion to the improbable outline as the rain started wetting her hair.

_Few minutes before._

_Tony reached LaGuardia Airport before his private jet landed. He crossed the entire airport and stood on the tarmac waiting for her plane. Few minutes only passed before the shape of the plane met his gaze. His heart started to beat fast through his tee-shirt. The jet made few turn in the sky and finally landed. After several minutes, he saw Anita, Pepper's assistant get off the plane. When she crossed him, he hailed her_

_"Hey Anita?" _

_She turned fast and was surprised when she recognized him "Mister Stark?"_

_He smiled at her "Yes, who else?"_

_She tried to speak but the words messed out "But… What… When… Yo….uuu….. Manhattan…."_

_He teased her as he put his hands on her shoulders "Breath Anita"_

_She took a deep breath trying to put her thinking in the right way. _

_He didn't let her time to speak again and asked her the question which was on his lips "Where is Pepper? She was supposed to be with you, isn't it?"_

_She looked at him with sad eyes "She is still in the plane… She cried almost all the flight. We were thinking that…" But Tony didn't hear the last words of Anita. His eyes moved to the static plane on the tarmac visualizing a crying Pepper in his mind. _

_Anita was still talking when Tony cut her short as he started walking toward the plane "Thanks Anita…"_

_His foot froze when he saw an outline popping on the plane threshold. She was so beautiful. He was amazed. It was like he didn't see her for weeks while it was only for 24 hours. Finally, he saw her looked upon him. He wanted to run to her but he couldn't. He didn't know really why but he was like transfixed on his spot. The last hours were so weird and difficult that be here now and see her seem to be like a dream for him. He didn't know yet if it was real or if he was dreaming all this. _

Pepper was finally only few meters far from him as she stopped. She took time to gaze at him. Yes, she was sure now, it was him. Anthony Edward Stark was in front of her and she couldn't believe it. It was almost like to have a ghost in front of her. She did really believe that he was dead. And now he was here, in front of her. When she realized that, she almost asked herself why she was stood like that in front of him instead of being in his arm. A bright smile appeared on Pepper's lips as she started running toward Tony.

Tony saw Pepper stopped few meters in front him. She was gazing at him and he could see different expressions and feelings came and go on her face, from sadness, to surprise, passing by fear and finally ending on happiness. Her smile made his heart beat so fast that it was almost painful. He smiled back at her, locked on her reddish ocean blue eyes. As she started to run at him, he found the control of his body again. He opened his arm to welcome her as she threw herself on him, her head in his neck. His bruise ribs were painful but it was nothing in comparison of the happiness he felt to have Pepper in this arms. He hugged her so strongly; he wanted to feel her, to feel that she was real. His nose planted on her hair smelling her scent.

They hugged each other so deeply that nothing else matter, even the fact that they were on the tarmac of LaGuardia airport and that it was raining. Suddenly, tears went back on Pepper eyes when her mind finally processed that he was real. It was tears of release. Tony felt Pepper whimpered as warm tears crawled into his black Sabbath tee-shirt. Tony moved back a little to have a look at Pepper.

He smiled at her "Your eyes are red. Few tears for your long lasting boss?"

She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. Yes he was real, his joke was the last proof she needed to be sure.

"I really thought I lost you" she finally said coming back to a more gloom face.

Pepper's expression made Tony's knees go weak. It was hard for him to see so much sadness on the face of his loved Pepper. He came closer to her, rested his forehead on hers and gently whispered "I know, I thought too. But now I'm here, everything will be fine, I promise you."

Tears rolled on Pepper cheeks "Don't make promises that you can't keep"

Pepper answer really hurt Tony but he knew also that she was right. The fact to be Iron Man made the promise hard to keep. He closed his eyes not knowing what to say to comfort her. His arms on her small back hugged her harder as he felt his feelings overcame. His head found the way to her neck in order to hide her the tears that started to appear on his eyes.

As if she could feel his grief, she passed her hand in his hair and pressed his head against her. "I don't ask you to stop to be Iron Man. I know this important for you and probably for the entire world, but I don't want to lose you also Tony. I lo…" She stopped when she realized what she was on the way to say.

He noticed her brutal stop. He moved back and gazed at her. "You what?" he asked softly. He couldn't remove his eyes from hers. Pepper felt his gaze ran through her. She really wanted to tell him that she loved him because it was true but in the same time, talking of feelings with Tony had always been a nightmare. She made eyes contact with him to find the courage to talk when she noticed that his eyes were actually glassy. She was really surprised. Tony noticed it right away because he asked her "What happen?"

Pepper was a little confused "No… Nothing… Just that… I don't know… Your eyes… I mean… I don't know…" and finally she clearly asked him "Are you crying?"

"NoOoOooo. Certainly not. It's just the rain and the wind, and you know my eyes are really sensitive." She started to laugh as he was swallowing with his poor excuse. "And you know I'm little tired also and… Why are you laughing? This is not funny at all."

She gave him a bright smile "I love you Tony Stark" she finally said with another laugh coming to her.

Tony's heart exploded in his chest. Pepper was not the first woman to tell him the 3 fateful words. Then Pepper was not only "a" woman, she was "the" woman, "his" woman. And within the few months of their relationship it was the first time that these words came out between them. It meant so much for Tony. Deep inside, he knew that Pepper loved him but it was so good to hear her express it.

Pepper was almost surprised how those words finally came out of her. Then, in the same time, she didn't regret it at all. It seemed to fit so perfectly and it was so true. She even asked herself why she waited so long. At the beginning, she probably thought that it would scared him but after all they went through, there was no doubt anymore and tears in Tony's eyes gave her the ultimate proof she needed.

"I… You know… I…. I mean… I… what I want to say is that I… Since long time… and probably before this night on the roof… I…" Tony swallowed in his attempt to tell her what he felt. It was easier when he was on the phone and on the way to death with a nuke on his shoulders.

She cut him short "It is ok Tony, don't worry… I know and I know that you mean it." Tony's heart was beating painfully in his chest… How come he was not able to tell her what he felt for her. Suddenly, he realized why it was so hard. It was just because he wanted to mean it and not just say it. And deep inside, he was sure that whatever he said, she would not believe it. That's why he was so scared to tell her. He was scared that she wouldn't believe that he was sincere. When this popped in his head only two words came out of his mouth "Do you?"

Pepper looked at him with a questioning gaze "Do I what?"

"Do you really know that I mean it?" he asked seriously.

"I'm little confused Tony and I'm not sure what you are talking about"

"I mean you just told me that you know about my feelings and that you know that I mean it."

Pepper's body tensed as she was not sure what to think about his question "I'm sorry Tony, I don't want to pretend that I know what you fell for me and…"

Tony shook his head at her misunderstanding and cut her short "No, no, no Pepper, it is not what I wanted to say. You misunderstood my question. You right! I really do! But what surprising me, it's that you know that I mean it. I mean… I mean it for sure but I always thought that you will not believe that I mean it if I'll tell you." Tony winced as he realized that his sentence was a complete mess and that she probably didn't understand anything in his mumbo jumbo.

She grinned at him and caress his cheek "Yes, I know you mean it." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, brushing her lips against his. _Yes, she finally get it_ he thought pulling her down into a deeper kiss. It was like they didn't kiss each other since weeks. Tony poured every ounce of his love for her into that kiss, trying desperately to communicate just how much he needed her. The feeling of her soft lips under his felt like a dream after this crazy day. Pepper kissed him back with everything she had inside of her. They both knew that everything could have ended few hours ago and that they could lose each other forever.

Out of breath, they had to break the kiss. Their foreheads were pressed against each other. The chocolate brown eyes of Tony drown in ocean blue Pepper's ones. He brought his lips next to her right ear and whispered slowly for just them to know "I love you Pepper Potts." He putted his hand on her head, led her to his chest and hugged her deeply. He closed his eyes and just thought about how lucky he was to have her by his side.

Pepper leaned on his chest without saying any word, bearing just a bright smile on her face, completely forgetting about the fact that they were under the rain on the middle of LaGuardia airport tarmac, just enjoying being in the arms of the man she loved and who loved her, never wanting this moment to end...


	6. Chapter 6: Closed Meeting

**Hello everyone :) **

**I'm sorry for the long time it took me to give you this chapter but I was really busy at work these days. It was supposed to be the epilogue of this fic but finally I got a little more inspiration so you will have two chapters more J**

**By the way, as you probably know, I'm French and English is not my mother language. So I know that sometimes my writing is not really fluent but I want to improve. I know that on this website there is a part for beta but I have no clue on how it works. Is there someone who can explain to me how to do it? Or is there someone who wants to read my future chapter to help me to improve them before I post? Kind of partnership J**

**Anyway, thank you again to all of you and I hope you will like it… And don't hesitate to let some review as usual.**

_**Chapter 6: Closed meeting**_

Few hours after the Tesseract blackout, communications came back finally in Manhattan. Pepper and Tony were still in Laguardia Airport completely ignoring about that. They finally have made their way inside the Terminal. Pepper was lying on two seat, her head on his knees, Tony stroking slowly her strawberry blond hair as he was explaining her what happen during the last 24 hours. Time was flying around them as nothing else matter except them.

"Believe me Pep, his costume was ridiculously tight and so old fashion! He looked so foolish! I still can't believe that he was wearing it."

"Come on Tony, if I followed what you told me, this poor guy was frozen during years… Stop making fun of him. I'm sure he doesn't deserve it."

"Ohhh yes he deserves it Pep! You have no idea" He roared with laughter. Pepper was feeling a little sad for this poor Captain America not knowing him personally. But in the same time, it was so good for her to hear Tony laugh after all what happen this last hours. His caresses on her hair were so sweet that if she was not on a middle of an airport she would certainly fall asleep in his harm listening to him.

"Anyway, as I told you, Capsicle, the demi-god, his "I'm-wearing-a-stupid-helmet" brother and me finally landed on the hellicarrier. And I lastly met Dr Banner. You know the guy expert in gamma radiation who can turn in green giant whenever he is angry."

"Yes I know Tony. You already talk to me about him during a long time, little moment ago. By the way, I start to be a little worried about your interest for this guy. It's probably the first time that I see you care about someone who is not yourself or Jarvis."

"You're unfair Pepper I care also about you" He leant forward to give her a small kiss on her lips. Pepper giggled and smiled at him softly. He stroke her cheek softly with childish smile hung on his lips. Pepper closed her eyes breathing heavily enjoying his smooth touch.

"I think we really have to find a way to go back home" he whispered to her softly. She moaned in agreement. "This blackout is really annoying I can't contact Jarvis!" he said with irritation.

"Did you check your phone again?" she asked opening her eyes.

"Not since we came inside" he stated reaching his phone in his pocket. "Pepper, you are a genius" he said happily typing on his phone. Pepper smiled at his remark. It was the second time in less than 2 days that he was telling her that she was a genius. "Hey Jarvis, we need to come back at the Stark Tower from Laguardia Airport. Can you please find the fastest way to do it please?"

"Sir, I'm afraid that all the access to Manhattan are closed and controlled" answered politely the AI.

"Jarvis can you tell me please how come are you so useless since two days? I really have to think to update you soon!"

"I'm sorry Sir"

"Tony stop blaming him, I guess The Shield is trying to controlling everything." Tony nodded as he hung up.

"Fury will be upset if I call him again to come to pick us up." He shrugged his shoulders and added "Anyway, who care about Eye-patched feelings"

Pepper smiled softly, "Don't bother him, it's ok. We could just call Phil. I know that he will help us."

Tony's heart jumped in his chest. With everything that happened, he almost forgot about that! He knew that Pepper would be devastated when he would tell her. And by the way, how come he could tell her? Especially at this time, she only started relaxing after all the nightmare she went through. He didn't really understand the relationship that Pepper used to have with Coulson but he was guessing that his death would hurt her too much and didn't want to hurt her again.

Pepper felt his hand on her hair stop and all his body tensed up. She moved her head and tried to look at him. His eyes were fixed and he seemed to be fare in his thought. "Tony? Is everything Ok?" She asked him caressing his cheek.

Her hand on his cheek made him landed in the reality again. He looked at her wonderful ocean blue eyes. Pepper's heart started to beat fast when she noticed the sadness in his brown eyes. She sat and putted her head at the same level than him. "Tony, tell me…" she said trembling.

"It's… You know… I mean…" He breathed heavily, trying to find the right way to tell her. "Pep.." He reached her cheek with his right hand. "Honey…" Suddenly his phone rang… Tony didn't move, still looking at her… Pepper finally nodded to allow him to answer the call.

"Hello" he answered

"Stark? Where are you?"

"Hey Fury, good thing that you call me. I…"

Fury cut him short fast "Stop Stark, we don't have time for your banter. We need you in Manhattan, we are trying to clean everything as soon as possible. We have to clear any track of the chitauri or their technology. Everyone is already on it. Jarvis and by the way, you, gonna be essential to be sure that nothing was left."

"Ok, I understand" answered Tony on a very serious tone "I'm still at LaGuardia airport"

"ok, I'll send someone to pick you up" Fury paused for a moment and asked "Is Miss Potts with you?"

"Yes she is…" He answered, surprised about this unexpected question "why?"

"Bring her with you… I have to talk to her"

"About what?" he asked frenetically

"I'll see you there Stark!" and he hanged up. Tony stayed open-mouthed, looking at the phone on his hand.

"What happen Tony? What did he want?" Asked a worried Pepper.

"I have to go back in Manhattan to help in cleaning and…" he paused in order to put himself together "and Fury wants to talk to you." He added in disbelieved.

"To me?" she repeated surprised, very surprised about that.

"Yes, to you" Tony confirmed.

"But about what?"

"I have no clue Pep, he just told me to bring you with me in Manhattan because he has to talk to you." Pepper stayed gaped, didn't knowing what to think about that. Tony wrapped his arms around her and put her closer in a comfort hug "Don't worry Pepper, I'm sure it's nothing important" he whispered to her. And on a more funny tone he added "Maybe he just wants to tell you that I was rude with my classmate."

"My god Tony, I told you to work hard and to behave. Now, look, the director wants to have a meeting with me. You will probably be fire… Again" she laughed and he smiled squeezing her gently. It was good to hear her laughing…

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

In less than one hour, Tony and Pepper reached their destination. The place was full of SHIELD agent in black suit and tie.

"Look Pepper, we just enter in the matrix" joked Tony. Pepper rolled her eyes but couldn't hold back a smile.

The car stopped and the couple got out. Tony saw Barton on the other side of the road.

"Hey Legolas! Where is Fury?"

"Legolas?" Pepper whispered to Tony "Seriously?" Tony looked at Pepper acting all innocent. "Ok, now I know, why Fury want to see me" she added.

Barton was turning toward them as a female voice came from behind "Ah, here you finally are, Stark! They all turned to see Natasha appeared from the other side. "Nice to see you again Miss Potts." She added looking at the red hair next to Tony.

"Nathalie, sorry I mean Natasha. It is really nice to see you too." Pepper said friendly to Black widow. "And you are certainly Clint Barton if I'm not mistaken" she added politely looking at Clint.

"Yes Madam" he answered little surprise about the sweet voice of her.

"Nice to meet you Clint" she smiled at him. Tony moved closer and whispered her "Agent! Not Clint!"

"Nice to meet you too, Miss…" he looked at Natasha asking her help by the eyes.

"Miss Potts but you can call me Pepper" she added before Natasha. Clint was really amazed by this beautiful strawberry blond hair woman. She was so nice and gentle, he didn't have used to this.

"Who, Who, Who, Who!" Tony added almost shouting "We'll stop here the familiarity… We can stick to agent Barton and Miss Potts. It's more than enough!"

Pepper rolled her eyes "Don't listen to him, it's ok" she added smiling. Tony was on the way to add something when he saw the 3 others Avengers arrived.

"Hey Stark! Finally… What the hell were you doing?" asked captain America coming closer.

Tony whispered slowly to Pepper "Watch his costume!" Pepper raised her eyebrow and whispered to him "Behave Tony… Please…"

"Watch your language Captain! We have a maiden with us" said Thor coming closer to Pepper.

"Oh my sorry Madam, I didn't see you first." Added a shy Steve. Steve never got the reputation to be comfortable with the women. With Natasha, it was different she was a kind of "army" girl, but with the civilian women, it was different.

"Don't worry, it's ok. I know too well to what extent Tony could be a pain… Always late and never doing what you ask him to do…" she said smiling to them.

"Hey unfair!" Protested Tony

"The maiden seems to know you very well Man of Iron" said Thor on an amused tone. He bowed to Pepper, grabbed her hand, and kissed it softly. "Nice to meet you Lady…" he stared at her in the eyes asking for her name.

"…Potts" Pepper added blushing

Tony took Pepper's hand from Thor and put her closer "Hey calm down Point Break… She is mine!"

The other avengers gazed at him, eyes wide open in disbelieved, except Black Widow who was smiling. Pepper gazed at Tony rolling hers eyes "What?!" said Tony innocently. "He is trying to charm you with his I'm-brawny-blond-mannerly-fucking-god things!"

In the background, Clint whispered to Natasha "Who the hell is that? His assistant? His girlfriend?" Seriously, none of that made any sense for Clint. How come this calm, smart and beautiful woman could have something to do with a guy like Stark?

"Both…" Natasha whispered back with a smile hanged on her lips looking at Pepper and Tony arguing about how rude he just had been with Thor. Clint stayed open mouth at this revelation. Steve who got all the conversation between Natasha and Clint just let a "My god, this jerk has a girl…" out.

Tony turned his head to them "Hey I caught that Capsicle!" Steve blushed ashamed. "Ok right, maybe we'll try to make the presentation in a good way. So guys, here is Pepper Potts, my wonderful personal assistant and Co-CEO of Stark Industries…" He gazed at Pepper with his well-known charming smile and stared back to the whole team to add "… and by the way, my amazing girlfriend, even if it is kind of unbelievable for some of you" He smirked to Steve. He wrapped his arm around Pepper's waist and said showing her with his hand the whole team "And This "The avengers" Pep. So here you have the spy couple, Clint et Natasha" They both grimaced at Stark in the same time. "After we have, the Casanova God, Thor", Thor nodded his head smiling at Pepper not really understanding Tony's banter. "Here, it's our ballet dancer prompt in judgments with his blue tight, Steve Rogers."

Steve gave a bad look to Tony and then a sweet smile to Pepper "Nice to meet you Miss Potts"

Pepper gave a hit on Tony shoulder in disapproved and smile back at Steve "Nice to meet you too Captain Rogers."

"Ok, and finally, the best part for the end…"

Pepper cut him short "Doctor Bruce Banner, I guess." Tony dropped his head, disappointed that she ruined his effect.

"Yes madam, Nice to meet you. Tony spoke a lot about you." He added at the surprise of all the other avengers. They didn't have a clue about Pepper before this moment, how come Bruce could know about her.

"Did he?" she watched at Tony surprisingly.

Tony brushed his hair with his right hand a little bothered by this revelation "You see, I told you that I care about you also" Pepper smile at him.

Nick Fury chose this moment to appear. "Stark! You are finally here. Can you go to your tower and update Jarvis to detect any chitauri trace. Take Banner with you if you need."

"Yes, sure… We'll do that" he said looking at Bruce who nodded.

Fury turned his attention to Pepper "Miss Potts? Can I talk to you?"

Pepper hesitated a moment looking at Tony and finally answered "Yes for sure"

"Good come with me then" Fury said showing here the way with his hand.

Tony leaned a kiss on her cheek and whispered to her slowly "be careful"

She smiled at him and turned to the team "It was nice to meet all of you guys" All the avengers smiled at her as she was walking to Fury. Suddenly she stopped and stared at Tony "Oh… And Tony, for God's sake… BEHAVE!"

"I'll try… Promises" he said to her.

Bruce, who was next to Tony now ready to go to the tower, asked him "What did you do to deserve her?"

"I have no idea… Really…" Tony answered smiling. "But whatever it was, I'm happy that I did it."

All of them were watching Pepper moving away with Fury.


	7. Chapter 7: Friendship

**Hello everyone :) Here we are the second to last Chapter. I hope you will like it…**

**As usual, my English as some weakness, if you find some errors, please let me know, I'll correct them. Thank you.**

**Don't hesitate to let some review; it is always nice to know what you think. Let me know if you want the last chapter or not. It's up to you ^^**

_**Chapter 7: Friendship**_

Pepper followed Fury in the Manhattan destroyed street. SHIELD agents were everywhere. Pepper looked at each one of them to see if she could recognize Phil somewhere. After several minutes, they reached a kind of sophisticated aircraft. Fury allowed Pepper to come inside and led her to a sort of room with a pretty huge meeting table on the center. A woman was already sitting there, waiting for them.

"Miss Potts, this is agent Maria Hill" Nick said showing the woman

Maria Hill stood up and stretched her hand to Pepper "It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Potts, I heard a lot about you."

Pepper caught her hand "Nice to meet you too Agent." Then she paused processing the information that Hill just gave her and added "You heard about me?"

Hill gazed at Fury. "Take a seat Miss Potts" Fury gave her as an only answer.

She obeyed and sat down on one of the free chair. Euphoria to have found Tony alive and met the avengers just disappeared to give way to anxiety. She was really lost. She used to control everything but for one of the first time, in her life, she was in a completely unknown and very formal environment. Nick fury and Maria Hill took a seat in front of her. She felt awkward, like not at her place at all. The room was cold and impersonal. She was surrounded by different screen that showed Manhattan Street and diverse information. Even if the leather armchair were very good, she felt really uncomfortable. She changed her body position several time but nothing improved. The silence was burdensome. There were thousand and thousand questions inside her mind but she stayed silent, waiting to know why she was there.

Nick fury finally broke the silence "So Miss Potts, sorry for this formal convocation but we need to talk to you" Pepper just nodded as no word couldn't go out from her throat. "What is exactly your relationship with Agent Philip Coulson?"

It took some time to Pepper to process the question. When she finally understood it she was not sure what to answer actually. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry for this awkward question but we have to settle everything fast. Coulson was a secret agent and we can't let thing on hold."

"Was?" Pepper asked in disbelieved. Questions were running fast in her mind? Was? What they wanted to mean? Did Phil get fire? Then she saw the gaze of Fury and Hill went down and she suddenly remembered Tony's one when she said the name of Phil, earlier when they were in LaGuardia airport. Everything started to make sense in her mind but she wouldn't believe what she just figured out.

"I'm sorry Miss Potts, we were guessing that Stark had told you." Said Fury.

Tears started to fill her eyes "What he was supposed to tell me exactly" she hardly asked. She wanted to be sure, guessing was not enough. She had to hear it!

"I'm sorry Miss Potts but we lost Agent Coulson during the battle." Answered Fury. Maria hill was still gazing the table, enable to look at Pepper.

Pepper was sinking but she tried to keep her composure as much as she could. She wanted to talk, say something but the words got stuck in her throat. She couldn't believe it.

After several minutes, Nick Fury tried again "I'm sorry Miss Potts, I know that it's hard and we don't want to seem heartless but it's the protocol." It was hard for Fury and Hill also, Coulson was more than a simple agent but in the same time in their work there wasn't place for sentimentality.

Pepper tried to get herself together and finally answered "What do you want to know exactly?"

"We want to know to what extent you and Coulson were closed?" asked Fury. Maria Hill looked at her with warm eyes, trying to comfort her. But it didn't really help!

"I guess that we are good friends…" she paused "I mean we _**were**_good friends" tears finally rolled on her cheeks when the word "were" went out from her mouth. It started to be real, she would never see him again.

"Did he mention to you anything about his work or the SHIELD" Fury asked coldly

"No… Never… He was always really fuzziness about his work. We even barely talk about Tony, well I mean about Iron Man (yeah because for sure they were talking about Tony). Our discussions were more based on our life." She said remembering all their discussion about each other awkward love life. Awkward? Yeah it was the word! She was dating Tony Stark (a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist) who actually was Iron man. And for Phil, be an agent for a secret governmental agency made your relationship with women hard to keep; especially when you couldn't say what you were really doing in life. Pepper was the only "civil" who knew about Coulson real job. It was maybe the reason why they became so closed. Phil could talk to her without lying.

"Ok. We expected that from Coulson. He was a really reliable and valuable agent." Said Fury. Then he added "Do you know if he was mixed with other people? Was he dated someone?"

Pepper was surprised about all these questions. She never really realized that she was maybe the only friend of Phil. "I know that he was dating a cellist who leaves in Portland but she has no idea about the real job of Phil. He told her that he was insurer."

"Ok. Thank you Miss Potts. This is really important for us." Stated Fury. He looked at Hill and she nodded as she knew what to do with the information that Pepper just gave.

Pepper felt bad as she realized why he was asking her all these questions. "What are you planning to do? Just erase him? As he never existed?"

Nick Fury gazed at Maria Hill than his eyes came back on Pepper "It is the protocol Miss Potts. He knew it."

Anger was starting to replace sadness in Pepper eyes. "I can't believe it! Phil gave all his life for you and this stupid agency and this is all what he deserves for you. Nobody will know about him, about his work or his courage. Nobody will know that he died to save us." She paused. "I'm so stupid! Nobody will ever know that he even existed." She added tears coming back again.

Fury kept calm as usual but it was hard for him also. Coulson was his best agent and he liked him a lot. But Fury was also the SHIELD director and he had to do what he was doing. "I'm really sorry Miss Potts, but this is due to circumstances beyond my control."

Pepper tried to understand Fury's point but she couldn't or rather she didn't want. She was gazing the table, she didn't want to look at them, she didn't want to talk to them anymore.

"Miss Potts, we have to be sure that you told us everything" added Fury.

Pepper was professional and she was not a liar. Even if she was mad at them and really sad about Phil death, she would do everything they would ask her. She knew that SHIELD was important for earth security and the fact that she was kind of dating Iron man forced her to do it. "I told you everything I know. Phil and I were really close friend but he never told me anything about the SHIELD (on the contrary of Tony, she thought, but that was another subject). We principally made small talk. We discussed about our respective relationship or about the fact that we were tired or whatever. His only serious relation, whom I know about, was this cellist in Portland. I know that you want to make him disappeared and I guess that I understand why. So it's ok, I'll never talk about him anymore." Her tone became harder! "But you can't and you will not make me forget him!" She almost yelled the last word.

"I know that, and we'll never ask you to forget him. We'll never forget him also. Believe me." Fury told her. He paused, gazing at Pepper. Then he added "We believe you Miss Potts." And he really meant it. He knew that she was a trustable person and that's why Coulson loved her so much.

Maria Hill felt really bad. Pepper's distress made her speechless. She wanted to tell her that Coulson would never forget her also. That he was always talking about her and that he told her that she was her only friend. Coulson was always concern about Pepper security and life. She wanted to comfort her telling her everything but she couldn't and she also was not allowed. She was a SHIELD agent. She had to be formal and cold. She gazed at Fury who was stone-faced. She didn't know yet how to be so calm in this kind of situation. So she just stayed sit, trying to avoid Pepper gaze.

"Can I go now?" Pepper asked

"Almost." He said reaching something on a shelf behind him. "We found this in his personal effects." He paused, handing her the packet. "I guess it was for you"

She took it. A kind of envelope was hook on it. In front of it, something was written by hand. She blinked to get rid of the tears in her eyes. _Pepper Potts_. It was her name. Her heart sped up in her chest. Suddenly, she looked at them with a question gaze.

Fury answered her like he understood her silent question "We don't know what it is. We didn't open it..."


	8. Chapter 8: The new Stark Tower

**_Chapter 8: The new Stark Tower_**

**Here we are, this the last chapter of this fic… I really enjoyed writing this story and I hope that you enjoyed reading it. Thank you to all the people who follow me during this story. A special big thanks to every person who reviewed, it means a lot for me… Thanks also at all the person who put the story in favorite! You are wonderful!**

**I'll write a new one soon, I have already the entire plot in my head; it is just a matter of writing it.**

**See you soon, in my future Fic "Last Kiss" (I give you the title to help you to wait for it ^^)**

Two weeks had passed since the avengers repulsed Chitauri attack and foiled Loki's plans. After hours of argument between the different governmental agency in the world (The SHIELD in the middle all of them), it was decided to entrusted Loki's sentence to Asgardian justice. It was also definite that the Teresseract was too dangerous to stay on Earth. Humanity was not ready for this kind of power or energy. And even if now, the world knew that they could rely upon their "Super-heroes", nobody wanted to attract more nasty aliens. Then, Thor left the earth not only with his brother and but also with the precious cosmic cube.

While, Agents Barton and Romanoff got back to their assignments to the SHIELD, waiting for new orders and new missions; Steve Rogers chose to discover his new time of life. After being frozen for almost 70 years, a lot of things had changed. So he decided to travel until new orders would be given to him because he was in the first place a soldier and he would obey to orders!

Banner, as for him, always thought that he had to live far from everything to contain his rage and by the way his green alter ego. Then, he met Tony Stark who convinced him that it was a loss of time and genius to stay far from all and especially from research. So when Tony proposed him a position in his lab in the Stark Tower, Banner started to really think about it. After argues which turned to harassment, Bruce finally accepted Stark's proposition and became the academic dean of research at Stark Tower.

And that's how it is… All our avengers' members disassembled… End…

Wait! What? I forgot one? Ahhh yeah, I forgot to talk about the last one, and not the least. Sorry about that! So our favorite genius billionaire playboy philanthropist was right now in his tower in middle of Manhattan in charming company. Or I mean, he was supposed to be in charming company with a nowhere to be found beautiful blond strawberry woman.

"Peppppeeerrrrrr!" Tony yelled again. "Where are you, Jeez?"

"I'm afraid that Miss Potts can't hear you sir, she is on another level" said Jarvis

"Ok, well and can you tell me, please, Jarvis for what the hell the communicator were installed in the tower?" argued Tony in disbelieved.

"Sir, do I have to remain you that the tower is again under construction and that…"

Tony cut him short "Ok, ok, ok Jarv, I get it. No need to keep repeating me the same things… Sometimes I really have the impression that Pepper rub off on you too much." He was too focusing talking with his AI, gazing at the celling to hear or see the elevator revealing the woman.

"Why am I in the middle of an arguing with Jarvis while I was not even here?" Pepper asked coming inside the living room. Almost all the furniture was covered with plastic by the workers who were fixing the damages made during the battle. Pepper went back in Malibu during the past two weeks in order to manage Stark Industries from the HQ. Everything had speeded up since the world heard about the avengers. And no need to tell you that the fact that Iron Man was the only one to do not have secret identity, and that almost all the battle took place around Stark tower, didn't help Pepper to have quiet 2 weeks. Journalists, Stark industries adversaries, Stark industries partners, Tony Stark enemies, Tony Stark friends, secret governmental agencies didn't let her any minute of break. She was exhausted… So when Tony begged her to come for the week end in New York at the Stark Tower, she didn't have any courage to argue with him and she just said yes.

Tony turned around fast to face Pepper "Here you are, finally. I'm waiting you since half an hour… You told me that you would join me when I left you in the bathroom" He said ignoring her question.

"I'm sorry, I received a call from Jake Morison when I got off the shower…" she explained herself walking toward him "I have to pick up because the last board of director..."

He cut her short when he shouted "Pepper! Are you crazy?"

She stopped, transfixed on her spot, heart beating fast. "What?" she slowly enunciated. She didn't have the habit to hear him yell at her like that.

"What the hell are you doing, barefoot, in the middle of the destroy living room?"

She breathed heavily in relief. "My god Tony! You scared me…"

"You are careless Pep. There might be some piece of glasses on the floor. You could cut yourself." Tony tried to argue as she was coming closer.

She grinned at him and caressed his cheek "You are so cute when you are thoughtful."

He couldn't hold back a smile "I'm always when it is about you?"

"Cute or thoughtful" she teased him as she passed on to the table where was sat down a blender. He was ogling all her movement, amazed by her. It was unbelievable the power that she used to have on him. She looked at him with a smirk "Are you going to stay opened-mouth at the same spot all the day?"

He shook his head in order to put himself together and joined her "Do you want to drink something? I was on a way to prepare something for us."

"Yes I can see that." She said staring the table. Drinks were always the only things that Tony could prepare by himself. Cocktails, smoothie, milkshake, fruit juices, none of them had secret for him. And she was guessing that the blender was the only kitchen utensil that he knew how to make-work.

"Do you have any preference?" He asked her

"I don't know actually, up to you" she answered looking at him as he started the preparation. "So, what is the plan for this tower, now?" she asked, having a look all over the living room. "If I well understood you, when we were on the phone last time, it will be a kind of HQ for the avengers?"

He held out a piece of chocolate to her and put the others in the blender. She moaned eating it. "Well, I was discussing with Fury about the future and we went on the conclusion that the Hellicarrier was not the best choice. I proposed the Stark tower because it is big enough for that and right in the middle of NYC which is convenient for the SHIELD. Moreover, Bruce will be here as Dean of research in the lab, and Capsicle could land here whenever he will be bored with his roadtrip. There is more than enough level and room here!"

"Yeah, I guess so." She said vaguely as her gaze got lost through the window. He would be busy here in NYC, and she had a lot to do in LA at Stark Industries. This meant that they would live almost 3000 miles far from each other. It was not making her happy at all.

He came closer to her and wrapped his arms against her waist, leaning her back on his chest. He whispered to her "Are you ok Pep?"

"I'm just a little tired, don't worry." She said gently

But he was worried. He knew all she went through this last 2 weeks. And he was not only thinking about her work and Stark Industries. It was deeper than that. He saw her when she went back from her meeting with Fury, 2 weeks ago. She was strong, he knew that, but in the same time, he knew it had devastated her.

And Tony was right, after 2 crazy weeks, she didn't really get time to think about everything. But, now, here, in all the comforts of home, whit him by her side, she realized that she could lose everything in a second. She almost lost Tony and she lost completely her good friend. Her gaze dropped on her wrist and she forced a smile.

Tony saw her gaze and gently said "I will have a rude competition this year."

She turned over to face him, his arm still around her. He smiled slowly at her and she smiled back, leaning her head on his chest, next to the reactor. Tony hugged her harder as she felt in her memories.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

_2 months ago_

_"Yes, I'm sure, Phil! Trust me, I'm a girl, I know how girls work."_

_"Yes, I guess you must be right."_

_The two friends were walking on a street of Los Angeles, cup of coffee in their hands, strong black coffee for Coulson and latte caramel for Pepper._

_"I'm right" she said sure of herself smirking to him._

_"Pepper, I'm afraid that dating Tony Stark start to rub off on you." _

_She stopped and put her hand on her mouth falsely offend "Oh my god, Phil, you are absolutely right…" and both of them started to laugh in concert. _

_After several more meters, they stopped in front of a jeweler's. They started watching at the showcase from outside. Pepper froze in front of a watch._

_"Did you find something?" asked Phil._

_Pepper shook her head "No I'm sorry, I was just watching this watch. It is beautiful and it looks like a lot the one that…" she paused, shook slowly her head and added "Anyway! We are not here for me but to find the best present for your cellist. And as I told you, a necklace is the solution."_

_Pepper made her way inside the shop. Phil stayed here few seconds staring at the watch before joining Pepper who was calling him. _

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Tony stroked gently her hair. "He was really…" Tony was not really good at this. "… Nice" find the words was hard.

Pepper stepped aside a little to gaze at him "Yes, he was." Tony gaze felt down. He didn't want to make any inappropriate jealous remarks but Pepper saw it anyway. She stroked his cheek and smiled slowly at him "but you are also."

He smiled back slowly at her. For the first time, in his life, Tony was scared, scared to lose her. How come she could get so close with someone without he didn't even notice it? He knew that he had to be more vigilant in the future and less self-oriented if he wanted to make her really happy. And he wanted!

"So, is there something that you want in particular for your birthday?" he asked

"Surprise me!" she answered smirking at him. He winced. "Come on Tony, you still have 2 weeks to think about it, I'm sure you can do it" She laughed.

He stepped away and went back to the preparation of the drinks. "Ok, I'll figure out, I'm genius, isn't it?"

She reached two glasses in the bar at the other side of the room. "Yeah, I heard about that, I think." She putted the glasses on the table next to him.

After blending all the ingredients, he turned to face her. His gaze was serious which was not really usual for Tony Stark. He took her hand. "Follow me Pep; I want to show you something."

She followed him to a table behind them. He took a roll. "What's this?" she asked.

" This is the reason why I asked you to come here this week end!" He unfolded the roll on the table "The organization of the new Stark Tower." He stated. "I want you to have a look on them."

She smirked at him "And I'm allowed to make 12 to 15% of modifications on it, isn't it?"

He winced "You'll never pass on this, won't you?"

She laughed a little "Not for a while at least!"

Tony got back to his serious gaze and tones "You are allowed to make all the adjustments you want on it"

She smiled "Mister Stark is too-good today."

He faced her and took her two hands in his "I mean it Pepper. I want this tower to be **_our_** tower. And really our tower." He paused. He gazed at her in the eyes. "Move with me Pepper." She stayed gasped. Her heart stopped in her chest. "We dated each other since months now, and you know me for more than 10 years. You know who I am, you know who I became. I love you Pepper and I want to share every moment of my life with you. I'm fed up to beg you to stay for the night. I want you every day and every night by my side."

For the first time in her life, Pepper didn't know what to say. She didn't have anything to counter his arguments. Everything that he said was so logical. She didn't even know if she wanted to debate actually. So she simply answered "Yes"

"Come one Pepper, Trust me, I think about it since a while and I'm sure it's a good…" He froze "Wait a minute, what did you just say?"

Pepper smiled at him "I guess I said Yes"

He laughed "Nice… It's easier that I thought actually. I was prepared to fight during hours and days to make you say yes…"

She cut him off "Stop this now Stark, I could change my mind if you keep going"

He smirked "You'll never change your mind Potts. I'll make sure of it. I'll put your name on every lease, here or at Malibu or everywhere else we could have a house."

She smiled "Ooohh my god, this presage a lot of forms to fill and to sign! You want me to contact the legal department? No need to tell you that I don't want to do all this paperwork alone"

"No need to contact them Pep, I'll fix everything at my manner." Tony winked to her searching for the good file on the map on the table.

"What do you mean?"

"You will know it soon, trust me." He finally found the good file. "Have a look roommate" he said teasing her.

She went closer to the table as he was reaching the blender. "A drink?"

"Not now, thanks"

He poured his glass and joined her as she started to develop the 3D structure of the future tower. He took a sip of his drink, put his glass on the table and gazed at her smiling. She smiled back at him.

"So what do you think?" He changed the side of the hologram "Pretty cool, no?" She nodded smiling. "And on the lower part, I want to relocate some of the Stark Industries department." She removed the upper part of the tower to focus on what Tony was talking about. "Like this you could stay here with me as I will have to pass lot of time in NYC in the future."

She touched his cheek to make him look at her in the eyes. "I love you…" she simply said before kissing him with all her love.

**_The End_**

**It depends of the number of reviews and comments but maybe I'll write for you a little something after this last chapter. Not something really long but something I'm sure everyone wants to know maybe… Because, I don't know if you noticed it, but one thing it is still a pending question… Up to you fellows ;)**


	9. Epilogue

**Thank you to all of you for these kind reviews and support. You really deserve this epilogue! I hope you will like it.**

**Huge thanks to SilverHeart09 for the beta of this chapter. You are wonderful!**

**_Epilogue:_**

More than 2 months had passed since the Chitauri's failed attempt at conquering the planet.

Pepper Potts was in her office at Stark Industries. She had just hung up the phone after a conversation with their partners in Tokyo. After 2 hours of conference calls, they had almost come to an agreement regarding the 5 million dollar contract that Pepper had been working on for weeks. It was a good end to a really busy day: 2 early morning meetings with different departments of SI, preparations for the conference call with Tokyo, personal meetings with some employees and finally the vaunted conference call. Evening had crept up on her and she was now exhausted. Her shoulders and her back were painful and she leaned back on her leather armchair and breathed deeply. Her eyes dropped to the clock and she decided that it would probably be a good idea to finish her day now. Today had been busy enough. She picked up her bag, grabbed her leather notepad and made her way to the door. As she was walking, her BlackBerry notified her of a new email and, trying to check it, her notepad fell from her hand. Papers spread out on the floor.

"Damn," she sighed as she knelt down to the floor to pick up everything.

As she gathered everything, her gaze stopped on an envelope. This envelope had been in her notepad for 2 months now. She didn't have the courage to simply put it in a drawer. Putting it in a drawer might mean that she'd forget it; that she'd forget him. And she didn't want that! She was not ready for this. Pepper finally sat on the floor and opened the envelope. It had been weeks now since she had last read it.

**"I probably can't fix all the regrets in your life, but at least I could do something for this one.**

**Happy Birthday, Virginia.**

**Phil."**

Tears started to fill her eyes as she gazed at the watch on her wrist.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

_4 months previously, Pepper and Phil had just come out of the Jewelers. _

_"I'm sure she'll love it," Pepper said proudly, smiling at Phil._

_"Yeah, hopefully," answered an unsure Coulson as they started to walk along the street._

_"Stop acting so worried, Phil. I'm sure everything will go fine," Pepper said in a comforting tone._

_ "Maybe, but honestly I'm not sure that a relationship based on a lie can last for long," Coulson said._

_Pepper knew that he was probably right, but she couldn't tell him. She was here to try to comfort him not to depress him more. _

_"Nobody knows my friend. Maybe if things became serious… Maybe, if you see that she is a reliable person…"_

_Phil shook his head. "It cannot happen. SHIELD is strict on this point. No civilian on the side!"_

_"But look, I'm a civilian and…"_

_Coulson cut her short. "… And you are dating Iron Man. Without you, Tony Stark couldn't even lace his own shoes."_

_She laughed at that last remark. "Yeah, probably!"_

_Coulson smiled at her answer. "Tony Stark is really a lucky guy to have you. I hope that he realizes it." Phil said that second sentence in a more serious tone and Pepper blushed. He added: "at least I realize that I'm lucky to have you as a friend."_

_Pepper stopped and stared at him. "And I'm lucky to have you." She smiled and added: "How many times have you saved my life now?"_

_He smiled. "That doesn't count. It's part of the job." He showed her the jeweler's bag that he had in his hand "But this counts! You didn't have to help me, but you did."_

_She put a hand on his arm. "Because I wanted to," she said smiling. "And also because I'm a woman and I like to go shopping," she added laughing._

_"Yes, a woman who is running one of the biggest companies in the world."_

_"Each to their own."_

_ They both laughed and after some more walking they stopped at the Japanese restaurant "Sugarfish" to have some lunch._

_ "Thank you for your time, I know that you're busy and it's really good to see that you still have some time for me," he said as their order arrived at the table._

_"It's always a pleasure," she stated, smiling._

_"Can I ask you a question?" he said suddenly._

_"Yes of course," she answered, unsure as to where this was going._

_"Before we entered the Jeweler's, you were watching a watch. I guess it's the first time that I've seen you unsettled like this. Since that moment, I've been wondering why? What is the significance of that watch?"_

_She smiled softly at him "I didn't think you'd figure it out." She paused, closed her eyes, breathed deeply and opened her eyes again._

_"If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay, don't worry," he assured her_

_But she started to talk, paying no heed to his last remark. "I don't come from a rich family you know. When I got my college acceptance, all my family was so proud that I couldn't refuse to go. I was the first "Potts" to study. So I went to university, even though I knew that it would be hard for them to pay the fees." _

_Coulson watched her with a compassionate and understanding gaze. _

_"I had to take a student loan. During my last year of university, my dad passed away. He was the only one in the family to work and things became worst for my mum…" She shook her head, trying to get herself together. "Anyway, one day, as I really needed money, I was forced to pawn my watch. This watch wasn't any watch; it came from my father's grandmother. My grandfather offered it to her after their wedding. It was a ROLEX Standard 21 Jewel from the 40's with a leather band and a gold steel face. This watch was splendid; my grandmother loved it, so much." Tears started to fill her eyes. "My grandmother offered me this watch when I was 16… She told me that I was old enough and that it was better on my wrist than on hers." Tears rolled down her cheeks but she dried them away quickly with her hand. "This watch was really important to me but I couldn't do anything else. It is, I guess, the worst thing I've ever done in my life. I've lived with the regret all this time." She paused._

_"I'm sorry…" Coulson said sadly._

_"Don't be sorry, Phil, it's not your fault," she said, placing her hand on his arm. "So, yes, when I saw this watch this afternoon, it remained me of it. It was really unexpected to see how this model resembled my old watch." She paused, shook her head and added "Ahh, designers don't have imagination anymore, they just reuse old designs." _

_He was amazed by the superficial tone that she used to say that last sentence, as since the beginning of their small talk it had worked out that it was her way to simply drop the subject. Pepper Potts was not used to talking about her life._

_"Yeah, you're right. Like in music as well," he answered in the same tone. She smiled as if to thank him. She didn't want to talk about it anymore and he understood._

_They finished their lunch; making small talk about how fashion turned in a circle. Phil never mentioned the watch to Pepper again, but as soon as he dropped her back at Stark Industries, that afternoon, he started his investigation. It didn't take him long to find the pawnshop where she had left the watch 15 years ago. His position as a government agent helped him to get access to all sorts of details and history of the shop. Then he found the person who bought the watch. Finally, after a few weeks and 2 or 3 new owners, he finally found Pepper's watch. He gave the new owner hard cash, and bought back the watch._

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Pepper was still on the floor when someone opened the door.

"Miss Potts? Are you okay?" said a worried voice.

She looked up to see her assistant trying to help her to stand. "Yes, Anita, I'm okay. I just knocked over my notepad," she said as she stood up and pulled herself together. "What are you still doing here by the way? It's late."

"I was waiting for you to finish your conference. I have some documents for you to sign," answered her assistant.

Pepper smiled. Sometimes she recognized herself in Anita. She was very professional and she never wasted her time. "Okay," she said, going back to her desk. Her assistant placed the documents on the table. She explained to her one by one what each paper was as she went through them, showing her where to sign on each page.

At the last document, her assistant added, "and this one is for the final booking of the hall for the wedding."

Pepper couldn't help but smile as she was signing this page. Yes, the wedding. She glanced at her finger to look at her second birthday present, a perfect diamond mounted in a white gold ring.

"Thank you, Miss Potts," the voice of her assistant woke her from her reverie.

She smiled at her. "Thank you, see you tomorrow, Anita."

Her assistant left the room leaving Pepper to tidy up her notepad.

It was only a quarter of an hour later that she took the lift back to the penthouse. She threw herself into the shower and then dressed in some comfortable clothes. She grabbed some food from the fridge and arranged herself on the couch with her tablet in order to prepare the schedule for tomorrow. After a few minutes, she was done with the planning and she started answering emails.

"Ding," the sound came from her BBM. She grabbed her BlackBerry and read it.

GBPP: Stop working, Pep…It's late!

She smiled.

Potts: How do you know I'm working?

GBPP: Because I know you. And I'm pretty sure you're on the couch, wearing my blue sweatpants. By the way, have I already told you how sexy you are in it?

She smiled and shook her head.

Potts: Where are you?

GBPP: Still in China

Potts: I don't believe you

GBPP: What, Miss Potts? Did you suggest that I'm a liar?

Potts: I'm just suggesting that you are probably somewhere around cause you know what I'm wearing.

"And you don't think that I could figure out what you were wearing from China?" a voice next to her said.

She smiled as he took her tablet and her phone from her hands. "When did you come back?" she asked as he lay down next to her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Less than an hour ago."

She kissed him softly and rested her head on his chest as he hugged her. She closed her eyes and sighed with happiness. He was gazing at the ceiling, stroking slowly her hair.

After few minutes, he broke the relaxed silence. "You know what I was thinking?"

"No," she whispered.

"You will have to think about a new name for your BBM."

She smiled against his chest. "I really think that the paperwork for adding a name on the lease would be less time consuming."

He smiled "Because you're still thinking that I just asked you to marry me to avoid paperwork?"

She supported herself on his chest and looked up at him. "Do I have to remind you that it was your first argument?" She smiled. "How did you say that again?" She tried to mimic his voice, "yes, Pepper, see the sunny side of things, if you become my wife, no need to change the name on the lease, it means no paperwork… dream life, right?" She laughed.

"Yeah, that's true! I mean, I don't like the paperwork and you don't like the paperwork. But on the contrary, I like you and you like me, so a wedding was the best option," he said, smirking.

"Yes, fair enough," she said before placing a kiss on his lips.

He grinned. "How about: The Starkster's Wife?"

She looked at him in disbelief. "What?"

"For your name on BBM."

"No way," she answered, shaking her head

"Lady Stark?"

"No…"

"You're right, it does sound Asgardian, I spend too much time with Point Break! How about Mrs. Stark?"

"Noooo, Tony! Listen to me, everything with Stark in it, is not an option!"

"But why?" whined Tony.

"Because your ego is big enough!"

"Come on Pep, you will become Pepper Stark, it's a fact that you don't have any choice now!" he said, starting to squeeze her.

She started to laugh at his touch. "Be careful, I can still change my mind, Stark!"

She was ticklish and he knew it so he tickled her harder. "You think so?" he said, his tone implying a challenge.

Pepper laughed more and tried to struggle. After a few minutes, their little game ended in a make-out session on the couch. They eventually found their way to their bedroom and fell asleep in each other's arms.

It took him more than 10 years but he finally realized what Pepper really meant to him. He had never been this close to anyone, or anything. He didn't know how she did what she did but the only thing he was sure of; is that he was in love with her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her by his side. And he really knew how lucky he was that she loved him at least as much as he loved her.

**So, here we are, this is the final point of this story, I'm little moved. I hope you liked the entire story and that I answered all the questions that I raised. **

**See you for the next fic, and don't forget, you are amazing, you guys! (and more amazing again when you let a review ^^)**

**ReikaJen**


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